Roxbury, MA In an effort to provide valuable career training opportunities for minorities and women, Teamsters Local 25 and Suffolk Construction have joined forces with mayor Martin Walsh’s City Academy, a new initiative that trains Boston residents for city jobs. As part of this partnership, Suffolk and Teamsters Local 25 are providing City Academy participants with a career showcase of Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and hoisting opportunities, as well as training in hoisting and OSHA 10 safety.

These skills will help low- and middle-income residents access entry-level city positions that offer good pay at or above Boston’s Living Wage, plus benefits, union membership and opportunities for career advancement. They also will help address a local shortage of drivers with CDL training needed to fill a large number of jobs. 

City Academy’s CDL/Hoisting training track includes a job readiness boot camp, site visits to participating city agencies, and training and test preparation leading to a hoisting license and/or CDL. Trainees were able to learn about opportunities in commercial driving and heavy equipment operation at the career showcase held at Suffolk’s newly renovated and expanded headquarters. Tom Morrissey, an instructor with Teamsters Local 25 Training Program and CDL Truck Driving School, led a hoisting training for participants recently and in October will lead an OSHA 10 Safety Training course offered in-kind by Teamsters Local 25.

“Teamsters Local 25 is proud to help provide these important training opportunities to help more women and other City residents obtain good paying jobs with benefits that will allow them to support their families,” said Teamsters Local 25 president Sean O’Brien. “With wonderful partners such as Suffolk and City Academy, we can provide opportunity and create an educated and well-trained workforce that benefits the entire city of Boston.”

Teamsters Local 25 has seen its students achieve success upon completion of their free CDL training school in Tewksbury, also known as “Teamsters University.” These drivers attain high paying jobs that include great benefits that come with union membership. In addition, Teamsters University is seeing a rapid increase in women participants. More than 20% of its CDL graduates are female, and that number is growing.

“Suffolk has long prided itself on promoting diversity and creating opportunities for Boston’s diverse residents,” said Brooke Woodson, director of trade partner diversity at Suffolk Construction. “This exciting partnership takes our efforts to a new level.  The training provided by the Teamsters will open doors to new career opportunities in a booming industry in need of CDL drivers. Tremendous opportunities exist for Hoisting/CDL trained workers, especially for women, and connecting this training through City Academy will bring even more women into the industry.”

 “The City of Boston is in need of new talent to fill entry-level positions, grow within its agencies, and reflect the diversity of the communities it serves,” said Trinh Nguyen, director of the mayor’s office of workforce development. “City Academy is the perfect opportunity not only to prepare residents for these jobs, but also to provide them with competitive skills training that meets employers’ needs.”

Graduates of City Academy’s CDL/Hoisting training track will be eligible for jobs with the Boston Water & Sewer Commission, the Department of Public Works, the Parks Department, and the Boston Housing Authority. Visit the City Academy website at owd.boston.gov/CityAcademy to learn more.